(STATS) - An outstanding season in the Big Sky Conference last year deserves an encore.

National runner-up Eastern Washington, Weber State and UC Davis shared the title in the largest FCS conference and all three reached the national quarterfinals.

They finished in the top seven of the final STATS FCS Top 25 and could be headed back there with the other playoff qualifier, Montana State, which is suggesting its veteran squad is capable of far exceeding its No. 17 final ranking.